Pipe-fitting.



No. 785,130. PATENTED MAR. 21, 1905.

W. VANDERMAN.

PIPE FITTING. APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1904.

' E y Y H E IE,

rrnn STATES Patented. March 21, 1905.

' PIPE-FITTING.

spnczmcnnon forming. part of Letters Patent No. 785,130, dated. March 21, 1905.

Application filed May 6; 1904. Serial No. 206,776.

. more especially used in connection with steam or hot-water heating systems, and 1s partlcularly adapted to a system known'as the onemain pipe system, in which a single main pipe isused to conduct the heating fluid both away fromand back tothe boiler; and the object of my invention is to provide a device of this class in which the circulation of the fluid through the pipemaybe aided to the greatest extent; and a further object is to provide a device in which the currents'of different temperature shall be kept from interfering eachwith the other.

A device in the use of which these objects may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side View of afitting embodying my improvement having a connection for two branches. Fig. 2 is a side view of two fittings united and each provided with a single branch. forming a connection for use with double branches. Fig. 3 is a side view of a fitting employed to reduce the size of the main and the branch; Fig. 4 is an eiridview of thesame. Fig. 5 is a detail view in cross-section through the't'rtting shown in Fig. l on line 5 5. Fig. 6 is a detail view in lengthwise.

-. section through said fitting on line 6 6. Fig.

. 7 is an end view of the same.

Fig. 8 is a dctail view, in. lengthwise section, through one of the fittings shown in Fig. 2. Fig.9 is a View in cross-section through the same on the ling 99 of Figs. 8 and 10. Fig-10 is a view in lengthwise horizontal section through the fitting shown in Fig. 8 on plane denoted by line 10 10. I

It is a known fact that theone-main system' of heating is preferable to the two-main pipe system, provided the single-main -pipe system can be made to work effective] y. The singlemain pipe system is preferable for various reasons. .The main pipe answering the purpose of the flow of fluid from and return to the boiler relieves the necessity for the use of two lines of main piping, and thus of course reduces the cost of labor and material in installing the plant. the reduction of the number of joints lessens the liability of leaks, and

the system is simplified, and there is less fric' tion to be overcome therein. The space .oc-

cupied by the single system is also much less 1 and the exposed or radiating surface of piping is greatly reduced. Less skill is required 7 to install the single-main system of piping the latter necessitating a complication of con-v nections. In the one-pipe system there is also less liability, on account of the reduced length of pipe, for the formation of air-pockets, and the air is more readily discharged, and reverse currents are more readily avoided in the use of the single-pipe system. i

In the use of. the singlepipe systemin practice the main flow-pipe extends from the than to install the two-main system of piping,

top of the heating-boiler on an upward grade to the point of location of the first branch and from this. point gradually descends toward the boiler, which it enters at or near the bottom. I By this construction there is a continuous circulation from the highest part'of the boiler to the lowest part. In such a system of heating there is a tendencyfor the warm or hot fluid to travel ,along theupper "part of the main pipe and the colder fluids travel along the lower part of'the main pipe. It is essential to the proper working of sucha system that all air-pockets shall "be avoided and that means shall be employed for aiding the discharge of air from the system by causing it to travel to points where the system is relieved therefrom. It is also essential that the hotter and colder currents of fluidshall be separated throughout the entire length of the main, so that the one will not interfere with the flow of the other, and further that the hotter currents shall not be cooled by reason of the intermingling of the colder fluid In my invention as illustrated and described herein I have provided a fitting in which all of the advantages'above described are present and the circulation of the heating fluid through a one-main pipe system is maintained to a satisfactory degree.

My fitting constitutes a joint. connection for the main at points where branches are led from the main or where the main is reduced, but principally at points where branches are to be led from the main, which frequently is also reduced at the same point.

Asshown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7 of the drawings, the fitting is especially applicable to a single-main heating system employing water as the heating medium, the connection 1 having two branch openings, the opening 2 in the branch 2 nearest the boiler being termed the flow-opening and the opening 3 in the branch 3, located farther away from the boiler, being termed the return-opening. Each of these openings extends from the upper part of the opening through the main. In fact, the upper walls of each of the openings 2 and 3 are flush with the upper wall of the opening through the connection or main. By this construction the hotter fluid traveling along the upper part of the main is maintained at the upper part of said main and flows through the opening 2 into the branch leading from the main. The opening from the main chamber 4 of the connection is gradually curved, as at 5, into the branch opening or connection, and it also is curved gradually upward, as at 6, into said branch opening or connection, so

The branches themselves are not shown in the drawings, merely the connection for said branches being indicated. However, it will be readily understood that the branches consist of pipes secured in the openings, as indicated at2 and 3, and thusthese openings are die-- signated as branch openings or connections. A similar construction is provided in connection with the opening 3 to its branch 3, thq opening out of said branch gradually leading into the chamber t by the curved surface 7, curved ina horizontal direction, and a curved surface 8, formed in a vertical plane. By this construction it will be seen that the connection may be used with either of the openings 2 or 3 employed as a flow or return.

In order, to conduct the colder fluid from the branch into the main, I provide a channel 9, located in the connection. The connection is so constructed that this channel communicates with the branch at a point back of the main chamber through the connection. The channel gradually curves downward into the provides practically two channels, one leading from the upper part of the chamber in the main for the flow of hot fluid and the other leading into the lowest part of the chamber in the main for the flow of colder fluid. Both of the openings 2 and 3 in the branches 2 and 3 are provided with such a channel 9 for the flow of colder fluid, so that the connection may be used with either end located toward the boiler.

In the form-of device shown inFigs. 8 and 10 the connection 10 is more especially applicable for use in connection with steam-heating, a single branch opening or connection 11 in the branch 11 being employed to conduct steam to the radiators and the water of condensation traveling backward through the same branch to the main pipe. In this connection, however, I employ the same construction of curved surfaces 6 and 8, leading downward'into the main chamber, and of the curved surfaces (located in this instance on each side of the branch opening) into the main in a horizontal direction from said main chamber. This fitting is also provided with the channel 9 for conducting the water of condensation to the lowest part of the main.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings this fitting with a single branch opening is shown as adapted to form a two-branch connection, which may be used in the same manner as the single twobranch connection shown in Fig. 1'.

In Figs. 3 and 4: of the drawings a connection 12 is shown in which 'the main is reduced, as at 13." In this form of the fitting, however, the opening into the branch is constructed in the-same manner as hereinbefore de-.

scribed, the curved surface from the main chamber into the branch being constructed in the same manner and the channel belng pro- 'Vided. In addition thereto a channel 14, similar to channel 9, is employed, leading into-the reduced part of the main.

In the form of the device shown in Figs. 1, 5, and 6 it will be noted that the surface leading from the main into the branch is gradually rounded or curved into the latter in the direction of flow, and the turn on the opposite side is abruptthat is, as seen in Fig. 6 the curved surface 5, leading from the boiler and directing the flow of hot fluitl into the branch 2, isgradually curved on the side toward the boiler, but is abrupt on the opposite side, whereas in the opening 3, leading from the branch or through the retu rn-opening, the curved surface 7 curves away from the boiler in the'direction of flow of the colder fluid and is denoted by arrows, the colder fluid travelwhere a flow is permitted into a branch.

ing down the channel 9 and, ifrequired, also utilizing the curved surface 8 to conduct it to v the lower part of the main. This curved surface 8, however, will be found available only in a few instances. Y

1n the drawings as shown herein the arrows indicate the direction of flow of fluid through in shown the greatest freedom of movement is allowed to currents traveling in the opposite directionand said currents are-keptpractically free each from the other, so that there i is no interference or intermingling of the one with theother, and therefore the full advantages may be derived and the full heating capacity obtained from the heating fluid. The flow of water into the branch is so gradual that the flow through the main is not disturbed, and the flow through .the main is therefore maintained normal at the points This construction alsoXavoids any air pockets, and any air which may have accumulated in the system is readily conducted along the system toa point where it is readily discharged.

It will be noted that the connection with the branch is, in effect, two connections embodied in a single chamber, the opening from the branch connecting with thefull diameter of the main, but united into one smaller opening in the branch beyond the body ofthe fit- It is obvious that the details of construction of this fitting may be departed from to a greater orless extent without departing from the invention, and I do not desireto limit myself to the precise construction described. p, I What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, -is, g Q

1. A pipe fitting or connection having a main chamber and a branch with an opening of smaller area communicating therewith, providing a direct-flowpassage from the main chamber to the branch adjacent to thetop of the main chamber, and havinga flow-passage connecting the bottom of the branchancl bot-- tom of the main chamber and arranged outside of the direct line of the main chamber.

2. A pipe fitting or connection having a main chamber and a branc-h with an opening of smaller area communicating therewith and.

having a flow-passage of a widthcorrespondherein shown and I ""ing'a chamber 'Wlth an opening of equal area ing to the diameter of the opening in the 6 branch, and connecting the bottom of the branch and the bottom of the main chamber and arranged outside of the direct line of the maimchamber. l

3. A pipe fitting or connection having a main chamber and a branch with an opening of smaller area communicating with the upper' part of said chamber and forming a direct flow-passage between the main chamber and the branch-and a channel extending from said branch to the lowest part of the chamber and offset from the mainchamber.

' 4:. A pipe fitting or connection having a main chamber with a branch opening or connection communicating with the upper part of the chamber, and provided with a graduallycurved wall between the main chamber'and the branch extending in the direction of flow of fluid thereto, and a channel offset from the main chamber and leading from the branch into the lower part of said main chamber.

5. A pipe fitting or connection having a main chamber with a branch communicating therewith of smaller area and with one wall flush with the wall of the main, a channel ex' nel portion leading from said branch to the v lowest part of the chamber.

7. A pipe fitting or connection having a main chamber with an opening-of smaller area communicating therewith, providing a directflow passage for hot fluid from the main chamber, and having a flow-passage connecting the bottom of the smaller opening and the bottom of the main chamber and arranged outside of the main wall of the main chamber.

8. A pipe-fitting including a body part havthereto, and a plural number of smaller openings communicating therewith, the upper walls of each of said smaller'openings being of a height at least equal to that of the upper wall ofsaid chamber whereby a flow-surface for hot fluids in directions out of said chamber is provided, the lower wal s of said chamber gradually sloping and merging into the bottom of each of the small chambers, whereby-a flow-surface for colder fluid into said chamber is provided.

' 9. In combination in a pipe-fitting, a body & 7 785,130

upper walls of the smaller openings being of 5 side of the lateral opening, the bottom-Walls a height at least equal to that of the upper i gradually sloping from the bottom of the IQ \vallof theehamber whereby aflow-surface for chamber to the bottom of each of the smaller hotter fluid into the smaller passage is proopenings. vided, the said Wall curving gradually from WILLIAM VANDERMAN.

' the chamber into a lateral opening in the di Witnesses:

rection of flow of fluid thereto, but curving ARTHUR B.,JENKINS, abruptlyinto the chamber on the opposite LENA E. BERKOVI'ICI-I. 

